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every member of the Israeli academia. The rather weak claim recently made in defense of Israeli academia that it still retains a liberal spirit no longer found in the "street" will suffer a severe blow, at a time in which it is under close international critical scrutiny.
Whatever your position about the Katz affair as it currently stands, in
the interest of justice, intellectual integrity and the sanity, welfare
and international standing of Israeli academia, and in particular, of the University of Haifa, I am strongly urging you to immediately drop this case against Dr. Ilan pappe.
Sincerely yours,
Jacob Katriel
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Professor Yehuda Hayuth, President of the University of Haifa
Professor Aaron Ben Ze'ev, Rector of the University of Haifa
I urge the University to drop charges against Dr. Pappe for his alleged violation of clause 1.2 in the codex 'the duties of an academic member of staff'. In supporting a graduate student against a spurious libel charge and pointing out the utter cowardice of the university in neglecting to defend a student whose thesis it had awardest the highest possible grade, Pappe performed a fundamental duty of an academic, to stand in the corner of those who tell the truth.
I have read all of Professor Ben Artzi long complaint against Dr. Pappe and found it a mixture of contemptible whining and the kind of allegations that belong in a Soviet kangaroo court . Katz had uncovered evidence of a terrible massacre, with 200 human souls obliterated. He then was intimidated and overwhelmed by legal action against him. Pappe appealed for help in getting the university to to live up to its obligations. In the face of a coverup of mass murder, Artzi can only talk about the effects Pappe's pleas might have on Artzi's chance of promotion! What a small pathetic mind! He alleges that Pappe slandered the University. Where outside of a Soviet court does an inanimate object like "the state" or a university get slandered? Academics have a perfect right to criticize their university or other academics even if they are "rude". It was far more "rude" to let a student go undefended when powerful forces wanted to crush his work in order to cover up an atrocity.
Artzi says one of Pappe's emails was "an implicit threat of 'informing' to professional factors abroad". What is this 'informing", are we hearkening back to proscriptions against ever speaking ill of Jews to goyim? Does the University of Haifa govern itself by a primitive tribal code or by modern academic standards?
I am a tenured school teacher and am shocked that your university would compromise tenure to pursue a sordid political vendetta. Dr. Pappe alleges that he is being attacked not only because of his work for Katz, but also for his support of international pressure against Israel and his decision to teach a course about the Palestinian Catastrophe. Judging by the trivial charges lodged by Professor Artzi I can quite believe him.
I am a member of the American Federation of Teachers and will ask that it bring up this assault on academic freedom at its next Executive Board meeting and its national convention. I will also bring this matter up to the American media and international committees that defend academic freedom.
Sincerely,
Stanley Heller
Connecticut, USA
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